| Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, took their censers and put fire in them, put incense on them and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He did not command them to do. So the Lord sent fire and devoured them and they died before Him. Moses told Aaron that the Lord said that those who come near Him must regard Him as holy and before all the people He must be glorified. So Aaron held his peace. Some googled sources suggest that Aaron did not complain against God in response to what Moses said because he knew that God’s judgment was always righteous. In addition, his silence was a sign of grief for the devastating loss of his sons. Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of their Uncle Uzziel, to carry the bodies from the sanctuary out of the camp. So, they came and removed their cousins’ bodies carrying them by their tunics out of the camp as Moses instructed them. Moses told Aaron and his other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, not to uncover their heads nor tear their clothes (signs of mourning), lest they die and wrath come upon all the people. So, they couldn’t even show grief regarding the death of their loved ones at the risk of all of the people being subjected to God’s wrath. However, the whole house of Israel could bewail the burning that the Lord had kindled. Can you imagine not being allowed to mourn the death of a child or sibling even if they were at fault in their own demise? One Google source states that as consecrated priests, they had to outwardly maintain God’s honor and bear visible testimony to the righteousness of Nadab and Abihu’s punishment. They could not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest they died because the anointing oil of the Lord was upon them. So, they couldn’t even attend any funeral services for them. They did according to what Moses said. |
| Then the Lord spoke to Aaron and told him that neither he nor his sons could drink anything intoxicating when they went to the tabernacle of meeting, lest they die. This is to be a statute forever throughout their generations. This would distinguish them between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean so that they could teach the Israelites all the statutes God spoke to them through Moses. |
| Moses told Aaron and his two sons that were left, Eleazar and Ithamar, to take the grain offering that remained of the offerings made by fire to the Lord and eat it without leaven beside the altar. It is most holy. They were to eat it in a holy place, because it was Aaron’s due and his sons’ due of the sacrifices made by fire to the Lord. This is what the Lord commanded Moses. They were to eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering in a clean place. Their daughters were included too. This was their due from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. The thigh of the heave offering and the breast of the wave offering were to be brought with the offerings of fat made by fire to offer as a wave offering before the Lord. This is to be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute forever, as the Lord commanded. Moses made careful inquiry about the goat of the sin offering and there it was, burned up. He became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar asking them why they didn’t eat the sin offering in a holy place, since it was most holy and God had given it to them to bear the guilt of the congregation to make atonement for them before the Lord? Moses said that it’s blood was not brought inside the holy place and they should have eaten it in a holy place as he commanded. Aaron said to Moses that they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering that day before the Lord and such things had befallen him (referring to the deaths of Nadab and Abihu). He asked that if he had eaten the sin offering on that day, would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord? So, Aaron was there when Moses became upset with Eleazar and Ithamar. Even though Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar were not allowed to grieve openly, they were still mourning. So Aaron asked if God would have been pleased with him if he had eaten the sacrifice while feeling such sorrow and dejection. Basically, they carried out their duties as instructed that day and not eating the sacrifice was the one mistake they made due to not having appetites. Has there ever been a time when you were supposed to do something (for the Lord) and due to an unexpected occurrence, you just could not continue on as anticipated? When Moses heard what Aaron said, he was content. We must also remember that these are Moses’ relatives too. Maybe some of his anger with his remaining two nephews was an expression of grief in some form. I’m sure he was touched by their deaths too, but was trying to complete his duties. |
| Next week, it’s Leviticus 11. To God Be The Glory! Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting. Be Encouraged |